


More than a kiss

by SparksSeer



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Developed Relationship, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: Big Finish Audio Drama 2.5: Broken, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2018-12-17 06:45:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11846136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparksSeer/pseuds/SparksSeer
Summary: Every kiss tells a story, has its own purpose, no matter the circumstances under which it was given or the feelings that were or were not involved, and no matter if it was welcomed or not. Jack and Ianto had shared a countless amount of kisses, each of them important in their own way and all of them serving evidence of their growing affection and love.





	1. Prologue: The First Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday, Ianto!
> 
> While this fic has nothing to do with Ianto's birthday, today is as good as any day to post the first chapter of this fic. It will be ten chapters long, each chapter containing one or several snippets of Jack's and Ianto's relationship and will be focusing on the different meanings of their kisses. Hope you enjoy! :)
> 
> I have about half of the chapters already written, although not in the right order (the last chapter is already finished, for example), so I don't know how often I'll be able to update. I'm hoping to post the second chapter (which is a lot longer than the first!) later today or within the next few days.
> 
> Spoilers for Big Finish's 'Broken' in this first chapter!

Everything has to start somewhere, with something. With one specific action, with a word, with a decision. It could start with a kiss – the first kiss.

The first kiss between Ianto and Jack had been short and unexpected, but it certainly wasn’t unwanted. It wasn’t filled with love or even passion. The kiss didn’t offer or ask for forgiveness. In that moment, the kiss was just touching someone else, it was meant to give comfort and it was meant to forget.

They shared their first kiss in the SUV, parked at the side of a street late at night. Jack was exhausted – he had just died after all. Ianto was angry at himself and at Jack, at Mandy for not simply being nice, at the Saviour for causing it all. He felt disappointed and worried – about Jack, about what Jack would do to him now and on top of all that, he was scared for his mother.

He was in so much _pain_.

Jack had said that he’d do anything to take away his pain, that despite everything that Ianto had ever done to him – betrayal, lies, sending Jack to be tortured – Ianto was still his friend. They were both hurting so much, after all that they had been through in the past weeks, months, years and decades in Jack’s case, so was it really too much to ask to make the pain go away, to take Jack up on his offer, even if it was only for a little while?

No, it wasn’t. And Jack had said he’d do anything for Ianto.

So in the spur of the moment, Ianto asked Jack to kiss him, saying that he was more complicated than Jack might think, and then, without waiting for a possible refusal, Ianto kissed him. And just for that moment, he didn’t think, and neither did Jack as he returned that very first kiss. This wasn’t about a relationship, they were both screwed up, Ianto said. The kiss had been a suggestion, a question for more.

And the answer Ianto got from Jack was a ‘Yes’.

The first kiss was where it all started. No, it didn’t _really_ start there, it never truly did. But it was the beginning of something new between them and ensured that many more kisses would follow – which made their first kiss so important.


	2. Comfort, or: "You make me feel safe"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They kissed when they needed comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This style of the fic is something completely new for me, I have never written something like this, so this is sort of an experiment for me.
> 
> The snippets and different chapters aren't necessarily in a chronological order, instead each chapter has sort of a theme / focuses on the different 'meanings' of the kisses between Jack and Ianto.
> 
> This chapter is where a few of the tags come into play. The whole story will be a bit of an emotional roller coaster :')

After a difficult case that had left Gwen with a concussion and Tosh with some bruised ribs and had forced Owen and Jack too shoot their attackers, Jack was pacing around his office. He had almost died today, but that wasn’t the point. His team had been in danger once again. Oh yes, he knew that they could handle themselves, that they knew what they were doing in the field, but he couldn’t help but be glad that Ianto had stayed at the hub this time, coordinating them instead of accompanying them. Jack stopped in the middle of his office and looked out into the main area of the hub. There, on the battered old couch beneath the old Torchwood sign, his lover was sitting, going through and filling out some paper work, although it was already late and the paper work could wait until the next day.

Jack smiled. He knew why Ianto was still here, it wasn’t the first time that he’d stayed behind after a difficult day or when Jack was in one of his moods. He was offering silent support, comfort for Jack when he was ready for it. In the earlier days of their relationship, and even before Lisa, Ianto’s support had been more subtle, most of the time a coffee late at night, or a shared drink in silence. Later, there was sex to distract Jack. And even now after Jack had been back from the year with the Doctor for several months, Ianto was still here.

Jack sighed and walked out of his office and sat down next to Ianto on the couch. Immediately, Ianto put the paper work away and looked at Jack.

“Okay?” Ianto asked softly.

“Getting there,” Jack mumbled and let his head fall against Ianto’s shoulder.

Ianto put his arm around Jack and held him close. He kissed Jack’s temple and for a few minutes they sat like that in silence. Eventually Jack calmed down listening to Ianto’s even breaths. He slowly wriggled out of Ianto’s embrace and before Ianto could react in any way, Jack was already kissing his lover, seeking comfort in the close touch that Ianto readily gave.

“Thank you,” Jack whispered, when they broke apart.

Ianto simply smiled one of his soft smiles that he only reserved for Jack and kissed him again.

 

 

After Cardiff was destroyed and Tosh and Owen died, hours after John Hart had left them and Gwen had gone home, after they had cleaned Tosh’s body and put her in the morgue, when it was almost dawn, Ianto took Jack home. They walked there in silence, too traumatized and shocked about the events of the past couple of hours – and in Jack’s case, the past two thousand years. Ianto hung up their coats and they went into the bedroom, undressed and changed into their pyjamas. They stood next to the bed, facing each other, expressionless, both wanting to be strong for the other.

Jack broke down first. His shoulders slumped, his eyes closed in a desperate attempt to keep the tears from rolling down his face. But it was the moment when the first tears escaped, that Ianto’s façade broke as well. Supressing a sob, Ianto cupped Jack’s face with his hands and pressed a kiss on his lover’s lips. Promptly, Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto, kissing him back almost hesitantly.

“I’m sorry. For everything,” Jack mumbled so quietly that Ianto would have missed it, hadn’t they been so close.

“Don’t,” Ianto whispered back. “Not your fault.”

Jack’s voice cracked when he spoke again. “Let me hold you tonight.”

Wordlessly, Ianto pulled Jack into the bed. That night, Jack held onto Ianto just as much as Ianto held onto Jack, and while they both eventually cried themselves to sleep and it would take a long time for them both to heal, the touches and soft kisses and the knowledge that after all that had happened during the past few hours, they still had each other and that comfort alone eased the pain just a little.

 

 

Ianto’s nerves had been strained from the moment the hub – and Jack – had been blown up and he had been on the run and trying to find and save Jack. But now, only a day later - even though it felt much longer - Jack was sitting next to him, still covered in dust from the concrete and dressed in tracksuit trousers, but most importantly: very much alive. He had his eyes closed and his head leaned against the head rest, while Rhys and Gwen talked quietly in the front of the car.

Ianto couldn’t help but stare at Jack and their joined hands between them. The adrenaline that had kept him functioning for the past day was running low now that he had Jack and Gwen and Rhys back and with him.

Ianto couldn’t even start to imagine what Jack had gone through, he must have died at least three times since the day before, including being blown into pieces and buried in concrete. It must have been traumatizing for Jack, and Ianto’s heart broke for him. He wanted nothing more than to hold Jack, wrap his arms around his lover - his partner - and never let go again. But there were more important things to consider right now. They were on the run after all and the children of this earth were in possible danger.

Ianto felt his hand being squeezed. “You’re thinking too loud. I’m fine,” Jack murmured and Ianto looked up from their hands to find Jack looking at him.

“You’re not,” Ianto stated quietly.

“No, probably not,” Jack sighed. “But I will be. You know me.”

Ianto didn’t say anything. He had difficulties upholding his image of calmness and to not break down under Jack’s gaze.

“Ianto,” Jack said quietly, but Ianto just shook his head and looked back down. “Ianto, look at me. It’s alright, I’m here.”

Ianto nodded. Then his façade broke. Tears rolled down his face and he pressed his lips together to suppress the sob that threatened to escape his throat. Jack didn’t hesitate and slid closer to Ianto and pulled his lover close to his chest and held him tight.

“I’m sorry,” Ianto mumbled. “You pretty much went through hell, and I’m…”

“Hey, I understand,” Jack interrupted him. “I knew you’d come.”

“Of course I’d come. I couldn’t well leave you with them and let them … torture you. I’m sorry I was so late.”

“You weren’t late, Ianto. You were – _are_ amazing, you got me out of there. And I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

Ianto just nodded. Then, he raised his head and looked at Jack. For a moment they held eye contact, before they leaned towards each other in mutual understanding what they both needed. This kiss was soft, but it was a longing kiss, a kiss that gave them that little comfort Ianto and Jack needed. Neither of them wanted to let the other go and ignored Rhys clearing his throat loudly and Gwen’s hushed ‘Rhys, just let them be!’

Jack wiped a tear off Ianto’s cheek. “It’s alright,” Jack said again and smiled softly at Ianto. “You saved me,” he whispered. “You always make me feel safe, Ianto.”

Ianto smiled sadly. “I feel safer when you’re around, too.”

“I try my best.”

“My line,” Ianto mumbled, as he leaned against Jack and breathed in the so familiar fifty-first century pheromones.

“I know. Come on, get some rest.”

A few minutes later, Ianto’s head was resting on Jack’s shoulders and his breathing had evened out, his posture having finally relaxed a bit. Jack’s arm was wrapped around Ianto and his other hand he was holding Ianto’s, his thumb drawing random patterns on his lover’s skin. Looking up, he caught Gwen’s teary-eyed gaze on him in the rear-view mirror. She had obviously been watching them. He sent her a small smile, which she returned. Jack pressed a kiss on Ianto’s, then leaned back and closed his eyes, enjoying this tiny moment of peace, glad that his lover was there for him after yet another death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it :)  
> Chapter 4, 5 and 6 are already done, but chapter 3 is still in work, I'm hoping to get it done sooner rather than later.
> 
> I'd love to hear what you think!


	3. Moments In Between

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the long wait, my internship keeps me really busy at the moment and I am also already planning a new fanfic for this year's NaNoWriMo ':)

Sometimes, it was the middle of the day, not an hour after their lunch break, and Ianto was in his domain – the archives, sorting through the artefacts they had collected during the last months and filing the paperwork accordingly. He was humming some tune, content with the work he was doing and glad that Jack had for once filled the forms out correctly and complete.

It would be in a moment like this, that Ianto would hear the door to the archives open and close, followed by heavy footsteps. He wouldn’t turn around and he wouldn’t stop his work, knowing exactly who it was. Jack would step behind him, wrapping his arms around Ianto’s waist and burying his face in the curve of Ianto’s neck, pressing a tiny kiss on the exposed skin. Ianto would lean into the touch, finally pausing his work and putting the file in his hand back on the desk.

“Hi,” Jack would say.

“Hi, yourself,” Ianto would reply. “Bored?”

“Hmm.”

They would stand like that for a few moments or a few minutes.

Sometimes, Jack would murmur, “Dinner tonight? I made reservations at that restaurant you like that much.”

Ianto would turn around, press a sweet kiss on Jack’s lips and say, “Sounds good.” And, “We can go back to mine afterwards.” Jack would grin, kiss him, and leave the archives again.

At other times, it was Ianto who would suggest to see a movie or a play at the theatre.

And then there were the days where Jack would simply pull Ianto even closer, whisper something in his ear, and would only leave the archives thirty minutes later with ruffled hair and a big smile on his face.

 

Jack kissed Ianto in the middle of the night after they had been working together for hours, looking through their data bases and finally, finally had found the bit of information they had been looking for or they had just solved the current mystery of the day. A kiss like that was usually accompanied with either a loud joyful laugh or a long sigh of relief and always ended up with Ianto staying the night with Jack in his bunker, sometimes getting more sleep than he would have if had driven home, sometimes less, when there were other things to do than just sleep.

 

They would kiss mid-conversation, mid-sentence, because they were standing too close to each other, or their eyes had been fixed on the other’s lips for the past minute, or one of them hadn’t really listened anyway, because they were too distracted by what they really wanted to do.

 

Sometimes, they’d catch each other’s gaze across the main area of the hub. A small, adoring smile would appear on Ianto’s face, on rare occasions he would even blush under Jack’s intense stare, and then, every now and then, when they were alone in a situation like this, they would walk towards each other in mutual understanding and kiss, holding and pulling the other closer, as they showed their affection for the other through the kiss.

 

These small moments in between, as small and as meaningless as they might seem from the outside, they weren’t for Jack and Ianto. To them, those kisses meant that the other person was still there, that they sought out each other’s presence whenever they had the time or just felt like it. Every kiss simply meant that they enjoyed being close to each other. And those little gestures gave them a little bit of happiness, even when everything else went downhill.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feedback is always appreciated :)
> 
> I'm on tumblr: [teaboyofficeboy](http://teaboyofficeboy.tumblr.com/)


End file.
